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Dog with Toe growth

Hi All,

This is my first post here. I have a 7 year old lab/Shepard mix with a small growth on his rear paw. The growth is protruding just above the outside of the paw and above the pad. the growth has been there for about 2 years but has not effected the dogs movement. Lately we have been taking the dog out for long walks because of the great weather. The growth must have been knocked because it bleeds when he runs on hard surfaces intermediately.

My vet wants to either excise the growth, but said that since it is on the toe and is near the pad she might have to amputate the toe. They said that this would cost $850. My only issue with this is that it doesn't bother my dog at all per say, just that it wont heal and keeps bleeding.

Anything I can do to "heal" the growth, shrink it or help it to stop bleeding without removing the toe and doing surgery?

Re: Dog with Toe growth

Originally Posted by rcantor

Hi All,

Anything I can do to "heal" the growth, shrink it or help it to stop bleeding without removing the toe and doing surgery?

Did you ask your vet this question? I'm sure if there was an alternative he/she would have suggested it. One of our dogs had to have his toe amputated and lived a normal life after - running and playing. Losing the toe was far better then being uncomfortable.

You could always get a second opinion from another vet. Hope your pooch feels better.

Re: Dog with Toe growth

Originally Posted by LuvmyRotti

Did you ask your vet this question? I'm sure if there was an alternative he/she would have suggested it. One of our dogs had to have his toe amputated and lived a normal life after - running and playing. Losing the toe was far better then being uncomfortable.

You could always get a second opinion from another vet. Hope your pooch feels better.

The vet did say that we could try Cortisone cream to reduce the swelling an possibly cure it from bleeding at times, but it could never heal properly.

Re: Dog with Toe growth

What kind of growth is it? Has the vet ruled out anything serious?

If so, you could always try the cortisone cream first - although the cortisone cream would be a short term solution? If your dog is only 7, this is something he would have to continue taking the rest of his life - I also don't think you can take cortisone cream for that long. Surgery may still be your best long term solution.

Depending on your relationship with your vet, if you like/him her, I would get another opinion.

Re: Dog with Toe growth

We have seen this alot at my vets office. I would suggest just amputating it, I'm sure it is bothersome to her and when it bleeds it may/maynot hurt but you need to keep it clean to keep it from getting infected. If I were you I would get it amputated, Because also as the dog gets older she may get arthritic problems, So i would not chance it. Plus dogs have pretty good balance, so i'm pretty sure she would be ok without one toe(pad). Good Luck.

Re: Dog with Toe growth

I agree with amputating the toe. The cost of the surgery may seem high now but, consider how many times you will have to return to your vet to have this toe treated and the comfort of your dog. (What if it becomes infected or abscesses and needs emergency treatment on a holiday or weekend. You could possibly come close to that amount in emergency fees.) Any dog that has had a toe amputated at the clinic have done just fine. Good luck to you in whatever you decide is best for you and your dog. One more thought: your dog is fairly young now surgery would be easier now, waiting until he is older and has to have it removed would make the surgery riskier.

Last edited by agility collie mom; 07-16-2009 at 05:42 AM.

"Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace." - Milan Kundera

Re: Dog with Toe growth

I agree with most in the decision to amputate the toe. If you think your vet is gouging you, find a new vet. You need to trust the person who is performing surgery on your pet.

Remember, as simple as a toe amputation may seem. Your dog still needs to be anesthetized with expensive drugs and monitored with expensive equipment. Plus this is not a 30 minute yearly exam. Dogs must be prep-ed for surgery, have surgery, and recover from anesthesia, it all take a ton of vet and nurse time. There are also pain meds post-op, and pre-op blood-work to make sure you dog is heathy enough to be put under anesthesia. Would you like your vet to not use one or more of these precautions so it is cheaper for you?

Also, the $850 may be the high estimate. Many vets will give the high end so people don't complain about the price when they pick-up their pet. You might walk in that day to pick up and be pleasantly surprised to see you bill is $750 or lower!

Re: Dog with Toe growth

It's never a bad idea to get a few more opinions. If the concensus is that surgery is needed, getting a few quotes on the surgery would be a good idea, too. Vet vary wildly in their pricing.

"Compassion for animals is intimately associated with goodness of character, and it may be confidently asserted that he who is cruel to animals cannot be a good man."
Arthur Schopenhauer, The Basis of Morality

Re: Dog with Toe growth

I agree with most in the decision to amputate the toe. If you think your vet is gouging you, find a new vet. You need to trust the person who is performing surgery on your pet.

Remember, as simple as a toe amputation may seem. Your dog still needs to be anesthetized with expensive drugs and monitored with expensive equipment. Plus this is not a 30 minute yearly exam. Dogs must be prep-ed for surgery, have surgery, and recover from anesthesia, it all take a ton of vet and nurse time. There are also pain meds post-op, and pre-op blood-work to make sure you dog is heathy enough to be put under anesthesia. Would you like your vet to not use one or more of these precautions so it is cheaper for you?

Also, the $850 may be the high estimate. Many vets will give the high end so people don't complain about the price when they pick-up their pet. You might walk in that day to pick up and be pleasantly surprised to see you bill is $750 or lower!

Love and Luck,
Jenna

Whoa calm down over there. I am just asking about pricing, because I have never had to go through something like this with my dog and $850 is a lot of money right now. Sure I want the best for my dog, but its very expensive.